The league was officially announced on May 28, 2010 on the league website. The teams were announced on June 2, 2010 in Erie, Pennsylvania and Indiana, Pennsylvania, June 4, 2010 in Syracuse, New York and June 11, 2010 in Johnstown, Pennsylvania. The Niagara Fury were announced on June 25, 2010 on the league website. On September 3, 2010 the Alpena Thunder joined the league after their league, the Northern Junior Hockey League folded. Prior to the start of the 2010–11 season it was announced that Johnstown, Indiana, and Syracuse would not play until the 2011–12 season. The league's first ever game was on October 23, 2010, when the Alpena Thunder defeated the Niagara Fury 6-4 in Alpena, Michigan. As the only two teams in the league, they played an 18-game season for the 2010–11 season. The 2011–12 season saw Cashman promise and announce many new teams and an affiliation with the Amateur Athletic Union. At the beginning of the season it became apparent that the league would only have two teams and no affiliation with a governing body. Erie announced through the press that it was withdrawing from the league in November, but the team, partially owned by Niagara owner Cashman, later became a founding member of the Midwest Junior Hockey League in 2011 before folding midseason.
Early in the summer of 2011, the CJHL entered into an agreement with the Amateur Athletic Union for sanctioning. As a part of this agreement the league claimed to have ascended to Tier II Junior A, which would put them on par with the likes of the North American Hockey League. When hockey blog siteAmericanJuniorHockey.com inquired to the AAU about the Tier II claim, the AAU informed the blog site that they did not have "tiered" hockey structures like USA Hockey and that the claim was therefore false. The AAU also has launched an audit into the CJHL's prior roster keeping practices and allegations of using unsigned and uncarded players. Since these allegation, most mentions of the AAU have been removed from the CJHL website.
Teams
Announced teams
Alpena Pride — Announced replacement for the Alpena Thunder for the 2011–12 season
Columbus Stampede — Announced replacement of the Pittsburgh Stampede for 2011–12 season
Erie Blizzard — Announced for 2010–11 season, merged with Niagara Fury for 2010–11 season; in 2011 became a charter member of the Midwest Junior Hockey League
Indiana Drillers — Announced for 2010–11 season
Johnstown Wings — Announced for 2010–11 season and again for 2011–12 season
Lake Erie/Mentor Ducks — Announced relocation of Indiana Drillers for 2011–12 season
